Programme Schedule
Please note: activities and itineraries are subject to change
As you will know there are several options you can choose so that you have your perfect Thailand Culture and Boxing experience. Everyone’s initial orientation week is the same:
Week One
The first week is designed to introduce you to Thailand and it's people, culture, language, attitudes and customs. It's a great way to meet fellow travellers and to make new friends. To ensure you have fun and to make it easy for you to meet all the groups.
- Programme introduction: aims, way of working, money, rules and appreciated behaviour, food, safety advice, cultural differences and social information
- Thai language: During this week you and your group will have Thai lessons. You will learn enough phrases to get by on.
- Visit local places: You will be shown the local village, market, monuments and temples. You will have several opportunities to go to the local town called Singburi. Here you can check your e-mail, get a Thai SIM card for your mobile and take a look around. There is also a pool in Singburi where you can go to swim, relax and sunbathe.
- Games, cooking lessons, discussions: Done in groups to help you make friends with fellow volunteers, project leaders and programme staff. This is a great way to learn the language and a fun way to experience the new culture.
- Leisure time: You will have plenty of time to explore the local area. You can relax around the eco-house, read, go swimming, shopping etc. The Project co-ordinators are happy to show you around and point out the beautiful and amazing highlights that Thailand has to offer.
If you have chosen to take part in the Cultural Week, your itinerary will be as follows:
Temple Stay
This week focuses on the temple stay. You will be staying in a genuine temple and will be guests of the monks. You will be able to learn about their way of life and observe them in their daily routine. On Monday morning you will learn about the Buddhist religion and history and in the afternoon you will be taken to Wat Phikun Thong temple. Also known as Wat Luang Pho Phae, it is one of many famous temples in Thailand. It is situated in in Tambol Thon-samhor, Amphor Tha Chang. The temple area is pretty and peaceful and is surrounded by a garden and small lake. Here you can look around and are welcome to ask questions. You will stay back at the Eco house on Monday night.
On Tuesday, you will start the temple experience at a temple called Wat Song Phi Nong. You will stay here until Wednesday at 12noon and will then return to the Eco house. This will be a truly unique experience. You will live with the monks and they will help you understand their religion of Buddhism, try their best to teach you how to meditate and introduce you to their way of life. Few travellers are ever offered this opportunity.
Wat Song Phi Nong is in the district of Sanburi, a group of monks here follow the doctrine of Karma. These temples were created around the same time as temples in Sukothai (the old capital of Thailand before Ayutthaya and Bangkok). However, during the Burmese war most temples were destroyed. “Loungphor sanong” started to rebuild this temple in Sanburi District, Chainat province. We ask that you respect the monk’s way of life. They eat breakfast and lunch and then do not eat after 12noon. You are encouraged to follow this pattern for the time you are at the temple. However if you want to eat after 12 this is fine, but please do not eat in front of the monks.
Please note that you will have one overnight stay near the temple. You will be sleeping on a marble floor. So we advise that you take a sleeping bag with you to make it more comfortable. Also remember to take mozzie repellent with you, as there are lots of mosquitoes.
After you have survived the temple experience you will be taken back to the Eco house where you will spend the night before heading to a resort on Thursday. Here you can relax and enjoy the outdoors, you will have twin room accommodation at the resort, which also offers a swimming pool, gym etc. You will return to the Eco house on Friday and spend the day visiting a Thai pottery market and Bueng Chawak zoo.
Your Boxing Weeks
During this time you will train in elements of Muay Thai. Our instructor will take you through traditional training techniques and develop your overall skills as a Thai boxer. Whether you are an absolute beginner or have been learning this martial art for many years, our instructor will be able to develop a training programme to suit you.
While you are training you will focus on many different areas, a large part of Thai boxing includes agility, speed and balance. In order to develop each discipline of Muay Thai (i.e. punches, kicks, elbows etc), you will learn exercises and training drills that promote these three important things.
A typical day begins with an early start, getting up at 5.30am. This is necessary so that you are not spending the hottest hours of the day participating in intensive boxing training. You will head for a run to warm up followed by refreshments at the gym. From here you will take training exercises led by our experienced Thai Boxing trainer. Once fully warmed up you will head into the ring to spar one-on-one. Our co-ordinator will translate the instructor's explanations into English. He will try to teach you some Thai necessary to learn more about the sport.
From 9am you have the option of going to the swimming pool (14km away) or relaxing back at the eco-house with other participants. The morning routine is repeated at around 3pm. The training can be quite intense, so it is important that you have a “warm down” period each day. You will have the opportunity to take part in optional Tae Kwon Do classes some evenings.
Most weekends will be free for you to explore the local area or even go to Bangkok or further. If you are at or reach a suitable competitive level, you may be invited by the instructor to compete with local Thai Boxers. You may also be able to attend exhibition fights too.
If you have chosen the Beach Week option your itinerary will include:
Beach time (six nights)
This is usually the travellers’ favourite part of the programme. You will spend from Sunday afternoon to Saturday morning on the gorgeous island of Koh Samet. This is free time for you to do what you want, when you want. Breakfast and either lunch or dinner are included daily. Some participants like to try out local restaurants for dinner (at their own expense).
The only organised activity during this week is a boat trip on the Wednesday for snorkelling and fishing. Lunch is on board the boat. This is included in the price. You are welcome to join this activity or do your own thing.
The rest of the time is free time to sun bathe, snorkel, explore the beautiful island or simply chill out in the many beach bars!
The accommodation is always in resorts close to the beach. Securing twin room accommodation can be a problem for us as most rooms in Thailand have a double bed. We obviously don’t want you to share a bed with someone unless you want to! So we do split the group into a number of resorts to ensure you get a twin room. All the resorts are pretty close to each other and you will be able to meet up with the other groups. If you find yourself booked into a room with only a double bed and you prefer a twin share, then immediately tell the co-ordinators. We can make sure the resort upgrades your room. Thai people sometimes forget that it is unacceptable for people to share double beds, as this is all part of their culture. Any problems, inform us and we will get it sorted for you. Most of the time they get it right, so don’t worry.
What happens at the end of the programme?
Depending on what options you have chosen you will be taken back to Bangkok coach station at the end of the programme. Here you can get a cab to the airport, or you can travel onto your next destination. In the past, travellers have enjoyed spending one final night in Bangkok at the end of the programme rather than heading straight to the airport. This is easy to organise and only costs £20 / 27€ for the extra night. If you would like to do this, then please inform us before you leave the UK. For your information a taxi to the airport from the Royal Hotel costs around £8 / 11€ and takes about 30-45 minutes depending on traffic.
Remember, if you have your beach week at the end of your programme and plan to fly home or elsewhere on the Saturday, do not arrange your flight any earlier than 9pm. If you stay an extra day, you can arrange your flight for any time on the Sunday.
